(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a spherical mechanical puzzle comprised of a plurality of separately identifiable puzzle pieces that are hand manipulated over tracks formed in a spherical base of the puzzle. In particular, the present invention relates to a spherical mechanical puzzle having a spherical base with three continuous equatorial tracks formed in the surface of the base. The three equatorial tracks are arranged perpendicular to each other and divide the base surface into eight separate surface sections, each surface section having an identifying color. A plurality of puzzle pieces are mounted on the three tracks for sliding movement along the tracks, and each of the puzzle pieces of the plurality have identifying colors. The mechanical puzzle is solved by arranging all of the puzzle pieces in positions on the three equatorial tracks where each of the puzzle pieces is positioned adjacent surface sections having the same colors as the puzzle pieces.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Hand manipulated puzzles having pluralities of pieces mounted for movement on a base of the puzzle to arrange the pieces into a desired array are known in the art. The popularity of these types of puzzles is attributable to their portability that enables individuals to carry the puzzles with them and work on their solutions whenever they have idle time. Their popularity is also attributable to the fact that many of these types of puzzles do not have a single solution, but appear to have a variety of different solutions, obtainable by manipulating the puzzle pieces through different series of steps.
A common disadvantage often encountered in prior art mechanical puzzles is that, although they may initially present a challenge to an individual, after successfully solving the puzzle several times the puzzle's solution becomes less and less difficult to the puzzle solver.
Therefore, it would be desirable to produce a puzzle having a variety of solutions obtainable through performing a variety of different series of steps, where several of the puzzle solutions have varying levels of difficulty so that the puzzle solver is always presented with a challenge by the puzzle even after mastering the puzzle solutions of less difficulty.